Lee Hits Grand Slam, Pirates Defeat Cubs 7-5

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CHICAGO (KDKA/AP) — Derrek Lee came through in his return from the disabled list as the Pirates looked to make it two in a row against the Chicago Cubs.

Lee hit a go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Bucs to a 7-5 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon.

Alex Presley also had three hits and scored a run for the Pirates.

Lee’s shot to left came off former teammate Carlos Marmol (2-5), who blew his NL-high 10th save. Marmol gave up a single and three walks in the inning.

Batting cleanup, Lee had three hits and five RBIs in the game. He had been sidelined since Aug. 10 with a broken bone in his left wrist.

Chris Resop (5-4) threw two scoreless innings in relief and Joel Hanrahan got three outs for his 34th save.

Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf allowed seven hits and three runs in four innings.

For the Cubs, starter Casey Coleman threw six innings, allowing six hits and two runs – one earned – while striking out six.

Chicago’s Alfonso Soriano matched his season high with four RBIs, hitting a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh. Aramis Ramirez reached base four times and scored three runs, while Carlos Pena reached in all five of his plate appearances.

The Cubs stranded runners in each of the first five innings and went 2 for 15 with men in scoring position. They’ve hit just .176 in those situations since the beginning of August, but Soriano provided some clutch hitting.

He tied the score at 1 in the third. Ramirez singled with one out, went to third on Pena’s double and scored on Soriano’s sacrifice fly.

The Pirates grabbed the lead back in the fourth when Ryan Doumit’s RBI double eluded Soriano in the left-field corner, scoring Neil Walker.

Soriano’s single and Marlon Byrd’s fielder’s choice drove in runs in the fifth, putting Chicago up 3-2.

The Pirates drew even against Kerry Wood in the seventh when Ronny Cedeno bounced a groundball triple into right-center and scored on pinch-hitter Garrett Jones’ sacrifice fly.

Coleman entered 0-4 with an 11.44 ERA in six outings this season at Wrigley Field and his struggles continued in the first inning. Presley’s one-out double and Lee’s RBI single were sandwiched around Andrew McCutchen’s walk.

McCutchen has reached base in his last 30 games against the Cubs.

It could have been worse for Coleman, but he escaped when Walker flied out on a hit-and-run play, with Soriano doubling McCutchen off second base to end the inning. Coleman settled in for his best home outing of the season.

Ramirez singled and Pena walked to start Chicago’s seventh-inning rally. Both scored when Soriano laced a double down the left-field line into the corner. The rain fell heavier through the inning and after Byrd was hit by a pitch, the umpires called for the field to be covered.

The game was then delayed for 91 minutes because of all the rain.

The Pirates and Cubs finish up their three-game series at 2:20 p.m. Sunday afternoon.